Frothy green tea was served in Japanese ceramic bowls in the Sokiku Nakatani Tea Room and Garden at Sacramento State as part of a traditional Japanese tea gathering.

“We call them tea gatherings. They used to be called tea ceremonies, which has kind of an antiquated feeling to it,” said Christy Bartlett, head of the Urasenke Chado Foundation in San Francisco and consultant for the University’s tea room educational programs. “Now everyone has become much more sophisticated in their reading of culture and in their interpretation of cultural activities, so we usually call them tea gatherings,”

All of the tea ceremonies on campus are performed by the Urasenke Foundation with the tea being served by the foundation’s students and teachers.

“Tea is a living art form and so for many people [the Sokiki Nakatani Tea Room and Garden] gives insight into this particular form of art,” Bartlett said.

Tea ceremonies last approximately one hour and 15 minutes and allow students to sample powdered green tea called matcha.

“I love it. It tastes very healthy,” said Sally Hitchcock, University Library Coordinator for Community Outreach. Hitchcock is in charge of scheduling tours of the Tea Room and Garden.

Besides offering tea samples, the Tea Room and Garden teaches students the history and culture behind Japanese tea ceremonies and how to appreciate the ancient Japanese practice known as Chado, the Way of Tea.

“It’s called the authentic tea ceremony so that’s what interested me. Indians are big tea drinkers, chai actually, so that’s what brought me here. I want to learn more about it,” said Nadir Hagiyani, 24, a computer science graduate student.

The Tea Room and Garden can accommodate up to 45 guests at a time. Individuals and entire classes are encouraged to visit.

“We enjoy scheduling a whole class at the same time. We also encourage community groups to come. It makes a nice outing,” Hitchcock said.

The garden adjacent to the Tea Room is also available for students and faculty to enjoy.

“In the garden, the guest starts to make a transition from being a person who’s just been driving 80 miles on the freeway and parking their car, to transitioning to a person that is going to be a guest at a tea gathering,” Bartlett said. “Part of that is becoming more aware of your environment.”

The tranquility of the Tea Room and Garden can be experienced on the lower level of the Sacramento State University Library two days a month, with the schedule of ceremonies posted on the library website.

The Tea Room and Garden offers free admission to all of its gatherings but there is one condition: students should expect to be active participants.

“Everyone who comes here is an active guest. It’s not about being a spectator. It’s about being a participant,” Bartlett said.

Inna Gritsak can be reached at [email protected].